First you wondered whether the goal would come, then you wondered how many Boro would score, then you wondered if they'd cling on.

Thankfully, they did. And if - IF - Boro do what Tony Pulis insists their rivals won't deem possible and barge their way into the play-off pack, this will be reflected on as a pivotal afternoon.

In truth, only for 10 to 15 minutes after Adama Traore's second goal did Boro look anything like a team that are capable of winning promotion this season. For most of the afternoon, this had the flat feel of a game with very little riding on it.

Had Boro failed to get the points then the rest of the season may well have had that flat feel about it.

But this is a victory that keeps them there, just in sight in the background, not close enough for their rivals to be overly concerned but not distant enough to be forgotten about.

It was one of those days where Boro just needed to get the job done, though their reliance on Adama Traore was again alarming. Without the fast feet and the attacking excellence of the in-form winger, you wonder whether Boro would have been able to break down a Reading team that had won just one of their last 10 games before Saturday and arrived joint bottom of the Championship form table having picked up just six points from a possible 30.

Adama Traore celebrates against Reading

Reading were poor. Really poor. It was only late on when Boro invited them on that they brought anything to the party. That they were even offered hope instead of pummelled into submission in the final 20 minutes or so was an understandable source of frustration for those at the Riverside.

But switch off at your peril in the Championship, even against the poorer teams. Just ask Bristol City.

Yep, we're talking about Traore again

Regular readers of this post-match column will know that the analysis is split into three sections. We may well just dedicate one of them to Adama Traore, for he seems to be the subject of some discussion every single week.

That won't change anytime soon if he continues with the contribution offered against Reading on Saturday.

Only last week Daniel Farke admitted Norwich's build-up had centred around stopping the winger and on Saturday Jaap Stam bemoaned the fact his side didn't double up on Traore for the first goal.

Would two men have stopped him? His second goal suggests not.

That's the thing with Traore, with respect to the defenders at this level, you wonder how many of them are actually good enough to stop him, regardless of the plans and ploys of managers.

Adama Traore and Rudy Gestede celebrate

You almost began to feel sorry for the Reading defenders in the aftermath of the second goal, for Traore looked to be taking the mickey out of them. There was more slaloming from the winger in the 20 minutes at the start of the second half than will be televised on Eurosport from Pyeongchang in the next week or so.

Among the excellence, though, was evidence that Pulis won't let Traore rest on his laurels.

Just a minute or two after scoring his second goal, Traore misplaced a simple pass inside the Reading half.

Pulis, not one for complacency, tore the chewing gum from his mouth and launched it into space in fury.

The manager won't stop badgering Traore, which is wonderful news. He could get even better.

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The cause of the second half lull

Was it the change in personnel or a change in mindset that allowed Reading back into this game?

Either way, Boro need to learn from it.

The 10 minute spell that followed the second goal was the most exciting flurry of attacking play we've seen since Tony Pulis took charge. That, though, was followed by Boro taking their foot off the pedal and not only letting Reading off the hook at the back but seemingly inviting them on at the other end of the pitch.

The decision to bring on Adam Clayton for Patrick Bamford backfired on Boro.

Bamford could have no real complaints at being hooked, for he'd struggled to make an impact on the game.

But the re-jig saw Traore re-employed on the left, where he wasn't as effective (though admittedly he still won the penalty) and the extra body in midfield and the change of shape sapped Boro of the vigour which they'd displayed in abundance in the first 20 minutes of the second period.

Tony Pulis and Jaap Stam

Perhaps a like for like swap with Harrison replacing Bamford would have been a better move? After all, attack certainly appeared to be the best form of defence in the early stages of the second period and Reading, at that point, were showing no signs of even threatening the Boro box, never mind scoring. Just ask Bernie.

It's not the first time that particular change has backfired on Boro. The Clayton for Braithwaite swap against Fulham handed the initiative to the visitors in the final stages rather than helping to see the game out.

None of the above is anything against Clayton, rather the change in shape at a stage in games when Boro are on top and looking dominant.

It may well be that Pulis felt the nervy finale was a product of Boro switching off rather than his changes.

He didn't give too much away when quizzed on the matter after the game, but admitted it's something that will be discussed at Rockliffe next week.

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Desperation, despair and relief for Assombalonga

Strikers are paid to score goals and you won't get a better opportunity than a free shot with only the goalkeeper to beat from 12 yards out.

With that in mind, then, you can't blame a striker for wanting to take a penalty. You'd rather your record frontman be itching to grab the ball for a spot-kick then hiding away and shirking the responsibility.

So credit to Britt Assombalonga, on that front, for showing the character to snatch the ball and put it on the spot when his confidence may well be brittle after a run of just one goal in his last 14 appearances.

If his confidence is at all fragile at the minute, his effort won't have helped matters. It wouldn't have looked out of place at Twickenham.

All that said, Grant Leadbitter is not only Boro's penalty taker - and a superb one at that - but he's the captain. What he says, goes.

Now we can't be clear of exactly what Leadbitter did say to Assombalonga when the striker picked up the ball but he certainly didn't look to be patting him on the back and telling him to stick it in the corner. Rather, he looked to be trying to peel the ball from the striker's grasp. Ryan Shotton had a crack, too.

Middlesbrough v Reading at Riverside Stadium. Penalty miss

Some fans argued that the ball should have been given to Adama Traore to let him wrap up his hat-trick. Indeed, that would have been a nice touch.

But Grant Leadbitter is Boro's penalty taker for a reason. He scores them. If he's on the pitch, he should take them.

Assombalonga is clearly desperate to prove a point to Tony Pulis. And desperate to end this barren run. But that desperation would have turned to absolute despair had Reading gone up the other end and nicked an equaliser. Ultimately, despite the spot-kick disappointment, Boro's top scorer will have felt a certain relief.

Pulis wasn't too forthcoming when asked about the issue on BBC Tees, pointing out that it was the first penalty Boro had won since he took charge.

Surely, though, the issue of who takes them, will have been discussed?

At the time of the incident, it was hard to make out what Pulis made of the penalty row. The boss, down in the technical area, was pointing and shouting.

If his message didn't reach the penalty box during the game, you can't help but feel it will have come across loud and clear after the match.